Filter/heater question

[foty89]

Again, previously posted on a different forum board. Please read and give me some feedback.

I am in the process of planning either a 110 or 120 gallon freshwater planted aquarium. I am going to use a sand substrate and build my own background using Styrofoam and epoxy resin. The background will have caves built into it and will also disguise the water intakes for the filters. I am going for a look that hides everything unnatural and just shows the fish and the plants.

Along these lines, I have been trying to decide what to do with the heaters. I am using two hang on back Emperor 400’s, so inline heaters are out. I like the cable heaters, but they are too expensive. So I think I am stuck with submersible heaters. Which is a problem, as I want to hide them.

I was thinking that I could build a kind of shoot for the return for the filters that would funnel all the water past the heaters. I am going to be using two 200 watt heaters. Do you guys think this would work out? The shoot would funnel all the water from the filter returns past the two heaters and back into the tank through an opening in the background. The shoot would be entirely in the tank, but concealed by the background.

There will be one area that will not be natural in this tank. I want to keep some crabs, so to do this I will need to provide a air pocket in the tank for them. I have thought that for a while too and have come up with an interesting solution. The background will use Styrofoam and epoxy resin with PVC pipe as the cave structure. I am going to build an island on the bottom of the tank with this material and incorporate an air stone. On top of the island, will be a wide glass jar standing on its lid. The lid will be attached to the island, which will be siliconed to the base of the aquarium. The lid will be cut to allow for entrance and exit of the crabs to the cave system. The continual bubbling of the air stone will refresh the air in the pocket. By unscrewing the bottle, the area an be cleaned and then the bottle replace to refill with air. I think this should work as long as I can find a decent size bottle to use, or maybe a screw clear glass light globe from a light fixture. What do you guys thing of this idea? Anyone ever done something similar?
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“Wisely if Sincerely”

 

[Raechal]

I just plan on having a heater on each side of the tank in the far corner and concealing it with tall live plants like java fern.

 

[nshockeyplaya]

Why not get a canister filter instead of using a HOB on that size of a tank. They are better filters for bigger tanks. I would suggest a Ehiem, Rena Filstar, or a Fluval.(In that order of best to worst).

 

[foty89]

I did consider canister filters, but went with the Emperor for a couple of reasons. First, cost, I can get the Emperor 400 for about $45 US each. Canisters are more expensive.

Secondly, for that same money, I am getting more filter than I actually need, which is not bad to have.

Third, the bio wheel is the best biological filter system you can get. There are not many canisters that I have seen that have this.

 

[nshockeyplaya]

I dont beleieve that bio wheels are the best biological filtration, i would bet that Ehiem canister filters provide a much better biological filtration than an Emperor with a bio wheel. And if you go the cheaper way out you get what you pay for.

 

[foty89]

I have read review after review that states that the bio wheel filters are the best types of filters. And I have read review after review that state the Emperors are the best. Could you explain why you think the canisters are better?

 

[nshockeyplaya]

The bio-wheel holds a lot of bacteria in a small area, but canister filters hold much, much more media in the first place, making them more effective than bio-wheels. Canister filters do the same job without the added complication of the bio-wheel. Overall they do it more quietly because the output is submersed underwater, and there are no unnecessary moving parts. The output of the canister filter can be placed anywhere in the tank to create optimum water movement. The design of the canister filter allows for much more flexibility of the medias used in it, and holds much more of it. Overall it makes for a superior mechanical filter as well. Bacteria does not need to be exposed to air to get oxygen - if you don't have enough oxygen in your water to feed the bacteria, how can you have enough for your fish??

I wouldnt fall for the misleading advvertizing by bio wheel companies.

 

[foty89]

With all due respect, I would direct you to a thread on this very board regarding bio wheel filters:

How Bio Wheels Work

Additionally, your assertion that the canister holding more filter media makes them a better filter than a bio wheel does not add up. You admit that the bio wheel does hold a great deal of bacteria. My understanding of the filtering process is that of the three parts of it, biological filtration is the most important.

I am glad you like your canister filters and I can see that they do a fine job on particulate matter and likely stuff all the way down to the micron level, but the chemicals that biological filtration take out go right through a micron filter.

I respect your opinion, but have done a lot of research into this and will be staring with the Emperor 400's.

Now with that in mind, do you think that my solution would work?

 

[nshockeyplaya]

Okay, i guess we can agree to disagree here. As far as your solution goes, it sounds like it will work but i would get two 300 watt heaters if your tank is 120 gallons because the rule of thumb is 5 watts per gallon. And at 120 thats 600 watts.

 

[foty89]

Yes, I was thinking about bumping it up to the two 300 watters. It gives a little more kick and should be a little less strain on each one, and it is not much more money.

 

[foty89]

Hey, if you have the time, go to my thread on stocking the tank and let me know if you have any suggestions or ideas.

110 or 120 gallon stocking list

 

[nshockeyplaya]

Sounds like your decor plans will come out great, however i cant really help you on the stocking list, as i am not into small non-agressive fish and know little about them. GL with the tank though.

P.S. Yea for the extra 5-10$ the 300 watt heater is worth it.

 

[foty89]

I looked your filters, as listed in your signature and they are very nice. I also found that there is a bio wheel attachment that can be bought for most canister filters. That along with the in-line heaters would be the ideal solution.

However, the canister filters are twice the price, or more, of the Emperor 400's. Then you have to add in the cost of the bio wheel attachments and the in-line heaters. It starts to get pretty expensive, around $350. The Emperor route is arguably as good a set-up and with the heaters is about a third the price. The one draw back, is of course, the fact that there will be more work to conceal the hardware.

 

[nshockeyplaya]

Yea youll be perfectly fine with your choices. I actually only paid 100 for my XP3 which is a good price. Your emporers will be fine. Do you know of a site that sells that biowheel???

 

[foty89]

I came across the attachment when I was doing some research on bio wheel vs. canister filters. It was discussed on a Magnum Pro 350 review page. Here is the link:

Magnum Pro 350 reviews

The first reviewer mentions the attachment, a Bio Wheel 60, and says it can be purchased at Petco.com for $30 to $55. The higher priced model includes a powerhead. I went to Petco.com and could only find the higher priced one. So you might have to go to a Petco store to get it, or do a google product search for a Bio Wheel 60. It is rated for 60 gallons or less, but I think that is as a stand alone filter, not an attachment.

I just did a search and found it at Aquatic Eco-Systems for $34.74, here is the link to the page:

Bio Wheel 60

Seems like a pretty reasonable solution and would make your filter system marvellous.